Shoe or glove fastening.



A. MUCOMBIE.

SHOE 0R GLOVE FASTBNING. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 9, 190e.

1,012,899. Patented De@.19,1911.

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ALEXANDER MCCOMBIE, OF GRASS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

SHOE OR GLOVE FASTENING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Application filed. .Tune 9, 1909. Serial No. 501,046.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER Mo- CoMBIr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Grass Valley, in the county of Nevada and State of California, have invented a new and useful Shoe or Glove Fastoning, of which the following is a specitication.

This invention relates to a shoe or glove fastening, and the invention has for one of its objects to provide a novel fastening device which will effectively hold the parts of the glove, shoe or the like together, and which can be readily and easily opened and closed.

Another' object of the invention is to provide a fastening which can be made in a variety of forms, the more elaborate form consisting of a pivoted connecting bar having -a pivoted hook-carrying member arranged to engage eyes or equivalent devices on one part of the article to be fastened, in connection with an ornamental monogram cap or the like covering the aforesaid parts for providing an ornament of pleasing ef feet, there being a pad having a marginal roll or border extending around the cap for preventing lace trimmings and other parts of garments from catching with the cap.

lVith these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, Figure l is a front view of the fastener shown applied. Fig. 2 1s a section of the device on an enlarged scale taken parallel with the cover cap. Fig. 3 is a section on line SMS, Fig. 2. Fig. 4l is a horizontal se`ctional View on line 4 4, Fig. 1, drawn on an enlarged scale. Fi 5 is a sectional view on line 5 5, Fig. Fig. 6 is a rear view of the cap. Fig. 7 is a front view of the protecting pad. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the eye-forming bar of the fastener'. Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the hookcarrying plate adapted to engage with the said bar.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawing, a and b designate the two parts of the upper of a slice, wrist portion of a glove, or other suitable article to be fastened together by the improved fastener designated generally by A. On one or both members a and o is secured an eyc-fmfming bar l which, before being applied, is constructed as shown in Fig. S. This bar is constructed of sheet metal having terminal and intermediate prongs 2 and 3, respectively, which are designed to pierce the fabric to which the fastener is to be applied and the prongs turned back against the inner surface of the fabric. The bar l has intermediate portions offset to form hooka'eceiving eyes Il which stand out from the surface of the fabric so that the hooks can be engaged with the eyes.

Cooperating with the eye-framing bar 1 is a hook-carrying plate 5 which is connected at its center by a pivot (i with a connecting bar or element 7 which extends across the slot or opening between the two parts c and o of the shoe or glove. This connecting element can be pivotally connected at one end directly with either part a or of the shoe or glove, while the hook-carrying plate 5 is mounted on the opposite end for engaging the eye-forming bar. In the present instance, however, the connecting element has a hook-carrying plate at both ends and both parts a and Y) are equipped with an eye-forming bar. The bars l are fastened to the shoe or glove in parallel relation, and the connecting bar 7 is of such length that the hooks S of the plates 5 will seat in the eyes 4l when the shoe upper or glove is closed. The hooks S are formed at the outer edges of the plates 5 and bend inwardly under thc latter so that the said hooks will engage the eyes 4 from the outside of the said bars, while the hook-carrying plates will occupy a position over the front of the latter and parallel therewith, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. If desired, the parts'of the fastening thus described may be concealed by an ornamental metal or other cap piece 9 which, as shown in the present instance, is of square form, being chambered or hollow at its rear. ln the chamber l0 is provided a pair of spring members 1l formed by a U-shaped wire which is hingedly connected with the cap by being pivoted in a bearing l2 mounted on ythe cap 9. These members extend out of the cap 9 at the upper end thereof and terminate in enlargements 13 forming knobs. In the top of the cap 9 is a slot 14; leading to and communicating with oppositely-disposed recesses 1 5 for receiving the spring members 1l. These spring members are adapted to be inserted under the connecting bar 7 and to interlock in the recesses 15 so as to hold the cap 9 over the parts of the fastening. The spring members 11 are tensioned away from each other so as to engage in the recesses 15 and yet they are free to be brought together opposite the slot 14 to be disengaged therefrom. The cap can serve as a monogram plate or be 'ornamented in any suitable manner.

lt may be desirable, in some instances, to provide a pad between the cover cap and other parts of the fastening, the function of the pad being to prevent lace trimmings or other parts of the garments from catching between t-he cap and the shoe, since the cap does not bear against the lat-ter. For this purpose, the pad may consist of a piece of leather, velvet, or any suitable fabric 16 in the form of a square, as shown in Fig. 7, and having openings 17 through which the spring members 'can be inserted under the connecting bar 7. The pad 16 is provided with a marginal roll or other suitable ornamental border 18 that extends around the cap, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The pad serves to hold the cap in place and prevents the cap from moving on the connecting bar and causing objectionable rattling since the cap clamps against the pad, which, in turn, bears against the shoe.

In using the fastener, the connecting bar 7 has its hook-carrying plate 5 at one end engaged with the eye-forming bar of one of the parts of the shoe or glove to be fastened, and after the parts are drawn together, the other hook-carrying plate 5 is engaged with the eye-forming bar on the other part of the shoe or glove. The pad 1G is then placed over the members of the fastening in such a position that the openings 17 will be disposed above and below the connecting bar 7, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the pad being removed in this figure for clearness of illustration. The cap is next applied by inserting the spring members 11 first through the lower opening 17 of the vpad, under the connecting member 7, and

through the upper opening 17. After the members are thus positioned, the cap is closed down against the pad and locked in place by entering the spring members 11 in the slot 14 of the cap and enga-ging them in the recesses 15. The cap is thus rmly held in place and forms a housing which conceals the more or less homely parts of the fastening.

It will be readily seen on reference to the drawings, and particularly Figs. 4 and 5, that the pad projects beyond the sides of the cap and forms an ornamental border for the entire fastening, the border fitting closely against the sides of the cap at the base of the same so as to effectually prevent the entrance of sand or other foreign matter behind the cap which would interfere withV the successful operation of the fastener and work into t-he space behind the members of the shoe upper so as to cause discomfort to the wearer. It will be, furthermore, noted that the pad and the cap effectually inclose all the working parts so that moisture cannot readily reach the same, and there are no projecting portions which are liable to engage in the overhanging garments and tear or more seriously injure lace and other material used to trim the same. In shoe and glove fastenings heretofore used, the damage to the overlapping garments has been very objectionable and has practically prohibited the use of eyelets or lacing hooks upon gloves and shoes worn by ladies. In my device the several parts of the fastener will' lie close to and vfit against the garment so as to present no unsightly projections which will detract from the neat finish and fit of the garment, and as the parts are free to move in a plane parallel with the face of the garment, great flexibility is attained in the fastener so that the hand or foot may be freely moved in all directions without being cramped by the garment to which the fastener is applied or by the fastener itself, and without causing excessive strain to be exerted upon the fastener or through the fastener upon the garment at any point. The connecting bar being pivotally attached between the ends of the hook members, the strain upon the fastener will be evenly distributed through the same in all positions which vit may assume. It is intended, in the actual use of my device, to have the eye bars properly spaced upon the meeting members of the glove or shoe or other garment when the same is purchased and fitted, so that the subsequent operation of engaging the hook bars in the eye bars will not unduly strain the material of the garment or pinch the foot or wrist or make the operation of fastening the garment unduly laborious. The pivotal connection between the connecting bar and the hook bars permits the same to accommodate any particular degree of variance which may be necessary in accurately and comfortablyV fitting the shoe or glove to the purchaser without making it necessary to have a portion of either or both the eye bars too close to the edge of the garment to be effectually retained therein. Should the meeting edges of the shoe or the glove members be separated to a somewhat greater extent than is usual, or the shape of the limb spread the members more than ordinarily occurs, the eye bars can be placed at an angle to each other, instead of being parallel, so as to follow the diverging edges of the members of the garment and still be positively engaged by the hook bars, owing to the pivotal attachment of the said bars to the c0nnecting bar. This pivotal attachment of the parts will be found of particular advantage, inasmuch as, the hook bars being attached between their ends to the ends of the connecting bar and extending in both directions beyond the same, a single bar serves to connect the hook bars and to hold them against any tendency to spread and, at the same time, permits either the upper or the lower ends of the hook bars to be spread apart in order to accommodate an unusually high instep or a deformed hand. Vere the connecting bar disposed at the ends 0f the hook bars, it would be necessary to provide some form of fastening for the opposite ends of the hook bars, and this would increase the cost of the device as well as add to its weight and the difliculty of properly manipulating the same so as to rapidly fasten the garment.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I new consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fastener of the class described comprising eye bars each formed with spaced eyes and adapted to be connected to the two parts to be secured together, a connect-ing member for the eye bars comprising two plates each having hooks thereon in spaced relation conforming to the spacing of the eyes on the respective eye bar and a connecting bar for the hook plates pivoted at the ends to said plates intermediate of the hooks thereon and holding said plates in spaced relation, the connected hook plates when in fastening position defining a substantially rectangular outline and a chambered cap piece carrying spring members adapted to engage behind the connecting bar of the hook plates and to lock in the cap piece, the said cap piece conforming to the outline described by the connected hook plates and centered thereby in substantially non-rotative relation thereto.

2. A fastener of the class described come prising eye bars each formed with spaced eyes and adapted to be connected to the two parts to be secured together, a connecting member for the eye bars comprising two plates each having hooks thereon in spaced relation conforming to the spacing of the eyes of the respective eye bar, and a connect ing bar for the hook plates pivoted at the ends to said plates intermediate ofthe hooks thereon and holding said plates in spaced relation, a chamber-ed cap piece carrying spring members adapted to engage behind the connecting bar of the hook plates and to lock in the cap piece, the said cap piece conforming to the outline described by the connected hook plates and centered thereby in non-rotative relation thereto, and a pad member having a marginal roll and intermediate openings and adapted to be covered by the cap piece with the roll exterior thereto.

3. In a fastener of the class described, a connector comprising elongated flat plates, each having one margin formed with spaced hooks, and a flat junction bar for the hook members holding the latter in spaced relation one to the other and at the ends pivotally connected thereto intermediate of the hooks on said hook plates.

4. In a fastener of the class described, the combination of a connecting bar, means for attaching the ends of the bar with the parts of the article to be fastened, a. pad disposed over the said bar and means and having an open portion disposed at opposite sides of the bar, a cap seated on the pad, and a locking member passing through the open portion of the pad and under the connecting bar and engaged with the cap for holding the latter in place.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER MCCOMBIE.

Vitnesses:

A. B. CHAMPION, M. EKENSTEEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

